Page 93 of Every Last One

“You sound like you don’t trust me again,” Sandra said softly. “We had a deal, and I held up my end. Now, it’s your turn.”

“Deals change all the time!” Mindy roared and turned around to take in the room. “Why should I trust anyone when money is everyone’s god?”

While Mindy’s back was to Sandra, there was an opening to act. But if Sandra didn’t execute it perfectly, there could be fatal consequences.

“Please, Mindy, think about what you’re doing. You have your money. Please, let these people go.”

Mindy turned on her. “Do you have the others?”

“ERT officers are securing them now.” Her mind distracted her briefly with thoughts about Tom Sparling, who was the anomaly.Remain present, Sandra…

“Good. Then I’ve held up my end of the bargain too. Here, take the money,” Mindy hissed and threw some cash in Megan Beal’s face. “Choke on it!” Mindy raised her gun on Beal, and before Sandra had a second to think of doing something, saying something, the gun went off.

Deafening silence followed.

FIFTY

7:05 PM

Gail didn’t understand why this man couldn’t just disappear already and was trying to piece together how it had even come to this. But he was back in this room with her and her daughter. Nurse Torres was apologizing and sobbing in the corner of the room. The man had tied her with the phone cord to a chair there. Then he paced the room and alternated the aim of his gun from one of them to the other. Even her little girl. “Get that thing away from her!”

“I’ll do whatever I like. Other people do.”

“What do you want from us?” She’d heard him on the phone with Sandra earlier, and she’d watched a wildfire light in his eyes. That heat was back with more intensity.

“I want everyone to suffer like I have.” He rushed to Phoebe’s bedside. “What is wrong with her anyway?”

“It’s none of your—” Her arrogance was silenced when he lifted the gun on her. “It’s her heart.”

“She doesn’t have long to live.”

Gail was livid listening to this man talk about her baby. He had no right to come in here and do this. None. She also hated how he hadn’t phrased his words as a question. It was an observation he’d made, something everyone around could seeexcept for Gail. She refused to let go and would continue to hold on to hope, to her daughter’s survival until it was indisputable. To that point, she would fight with all she had and encourage her daughter to do the same. “She’s going to live longer than you.”

“Are you seriously threatening a man with a gun right now?”

“I’m telling you. This isn’t going to end well for you. But my girl, she’s going to survive this.” Tears burned in her eyes.

“Tom Sparling!” a man yelled from the hallway. “Metropolitan PD! Kick your gun out the door, and come out with your hands up in the air.”

This monster’s name is Tom? Like my uncle?

“Shit.” Tom rushed around the bed toward the door.

“Help us!” Gail shouted.

“Shut up!” Tom roared at her, and she trembled.

“He’s got a gun, and he’s tied up Nurse Torres. He’s threatening my daughter!”

“Shut up!” Tom came over to her and grabbed her by the hair. “Get away from this room, or I will kill everyone in here. Even the little girl!”

Gail gasped and struggled against him, but he was stronger than he looked. “Help us!”

FIFTY-ONE

7:45 PM

The boardroom had fallen silent after the gun went off. Sandra’s mind was working on how to turn this around. She half expected ERT officers to storm into the room. Surprisingly, they hadn’t, but this situation was spiraling out of control.